A pleasant new Ballad of King Edward the Fourth, and a
Tanner of Tamworth, as he rode a Hunting with his Nobles to Drayton Basset.
To an Excellent New Tune.
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IN Summer time, when leaves grow green,
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and birds were singing on every tree:
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King Edward would a hunting ride,
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some pastime for to see:
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Our King would a hunting ride,
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by eight a clock of the day,
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And well was he ware of a bold Tanner,
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come riding on the way.
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A good Russet coat the Tanner had on,
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fast buttoned under his Chin
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And under him a good Cow-Hide,
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and a Mare of four shilling.
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Now stand you here my good Lords all,
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under this trusty tree,
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And I will wend to yonder fellow,
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to know from whence came he.
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God speed God speed, then said our King,
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thou art welcome good fellow, quoth he,
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Which is the way to Drayton Basset,
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I pray thee shew to me:
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The ready way to Drayton Basset,
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from this place as thou dost stand,
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The next pair of Gallows thou comst to,
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thou must turn up on thy right hand.
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That is not the way, then said our King:
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the ready way I pray thee shew me:
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Whether thou be thief or true man, quoth the Tanner,
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I me weary of thy company.
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Away with a vengeance (quoth the Tanner)
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I hold thee out of thy wit,
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For all this day have I ridden and gone,
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and I am fasting yet.
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Go with me to Drayton Basset, said our King,
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no dainties we will lack,
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Wel have meat and drink of the best,
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and I will pay the shot.
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God-a-mercy for nothing said the Tanner,
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thou shalt pay for no dinner of mine,
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I have more groats and Nobles in my Purse,
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then thou hast pence in thine.
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God save your Goods then said our King,
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and send them well to thee:
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Be thou thief or true man, quoth the Tanner,
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I am weary of thy company:
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Away with a vengeance (quoth the Tanner)
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of thee [I] stand in fear:
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The apparel thou wearest on thy back,
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may seem a good Lord to wear:
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I never stole them, said our King,
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I swear to thee by the rood:
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Thou art some Ruffian of the Countrey,
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thou ridst in the midst of the Wood:
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What news dost thou hear then said our King
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I pray thee what news dost thou hear,
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I hear no news answered the Tanner,
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but that Cow-hides be dear.
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The second Part, to the same tune.
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COw-hides, Cow-hides, then said our King,
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I marvel what they be:
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Why art thou a fool. (quoth the Tanner)
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look I have one under me:
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Yet one thing now I would thee pray,
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so that thou would not be strange,
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If thy Mare be better then my Steed,
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I pray thee let us change.
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But if thou needs with me will change,
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as change full well may ye?
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By the faith of my body (quoth the Tanner,
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I look to have some boot of thee:
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What boot will you have, then said our King,
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what boot dost thou ask on this ground,
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No pence nor half-pence, said the Tanner,
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but a noble in gold so round.
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Heres twenty good groats then said our King
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so well paid see you be:
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I love thee better then I did before,
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I thought thou hadst ner a penny.
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But if so be we needs must change,
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as change thou must abide,
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Though thou hast gotten Brock my Mare,
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thou shalt not have my Cow-hide.
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The Tanner took the good Cow-hide,
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that of the Cow was hilt,
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And threw it upon the Kings saddle,
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that was so fairly guilt
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Now help me, quoth the Tanner,
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full quickly that I were gone,
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And when I come home to G[il]lian my wife,
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she[]l say [I] am a Gentleman.
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The King took the Tanner by the leg,
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he girded a fart so round,
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Your very homely said the King:
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were I aware I had laid you o the ground:
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When the Tanner was in the Kings Saddle,
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astonished then he was,
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He knew not the stirrops that he did wear,
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whether they were gold or brass:
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But when the Steed saw the black Cow-tale wag
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and before the black Cow-horn,
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The Steed began to run away,
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as the Devil the Tanner had born:
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Until he came into a nook,
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a little beside an Oak,
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The steed gave the Tanner such a fall,
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his neck was almost broke.
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Take thy horse again with a vengeance he said
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with me he shall not abide.
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It is no marvel (said the King) and laught,
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he knew not your Cow-hide.
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But if that we needs must change,
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As change well now we might
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I le swear to you plain if you have my Mare,
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I look to have some boot.
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What boot will you ask (quoth the Tanner)
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what boot will you ask on this ground?
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No pence, nor half pence, (said our King)
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but a Noble in gold so round.
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Here s twenty good groats, said the Tanner,
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and twenty more I have of thine,
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I have ten groats more in my purse,
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wel drink five of them at the wine:
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The King set a Bugle-horn to his mouth,
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and blew both loud and shril,
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And five hundred Lords and Knights
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came riding over a hill.
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Away with a vengeance (quoth the Tanner)
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with thee I le no longer abide,
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Thou art a strong thief yonder be thy fellows,
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they will steal away my Cow-hide:
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No I protest then said our King,
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for so it may not be,
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They be the Lords of Drayton Basset,
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come out of the North-Country.
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But when they came before the King,
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full low then fell on their knee,
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The tanner had rather then a thousand pound,
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he had been out of his company:
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A Collar a Collar then said the King,
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a Collar then did he cry,
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Then would he gave a thousand pound,
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he had not been so nigh:
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A Collar, a Collar quoth the tanner,
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it is a thing will breed sorrow,
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For after a Collar, commeth a Halter,
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and I shall be hanged to morrow:
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No, do not fear the King did say,
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for pastime thou hast shewn me,
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No Collar, nor Halter, thou shalt have,
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but I will give thee a fee:
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For Plumpton Park I will give thee,
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with tenements three beside.
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Which is worth three hundred pound a year,
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to maintain thy good Cow-hide:
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God-a-mercy, God-a-mercy, (quod the tanner)
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for this good deed thou hast done,
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If ever thou comest to merry Tamworth,
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thou shalt have clout-leather for thy shoon
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